03/24/06 New Favorite Wine

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran and as many of you know, my new favorite wine is usually the wine that is in my glass at the time. I simply do not waste my time drinking wine that I do not like. Recently I was rummaging through the discontinued wine bin at my local grocer's. I came upon two bottles of Pinot Blanc from a producer that I have enjoyed in the past. It was from the 2000 vintage, but I thought, why not take a chance? BREAK Purchasing a vintage 2000 white wine may not sound like such a big adventure. But not really knowing how it was stored was where the risk came in. This particular wine was the Chalone Vineyard Estate Bottled Pinot Blanc. I whipped up pasta with veggies and prawns in a brothy sauce of only vegetable juices and olive oil. We poured the wine and I could tell from first whiff that I had done a good thing! It was lovely and this is the first time I felt as though the back label of the bottle said it all. And I quote "This wine comes from a small vineyard & at about 200 feet & near the Pinnacles National Monument. The Vineyard grows on the same type of sparse, reddish soil underlain by limestone as produces the great French Burgundies along the Cote d'Or & the wine has a fullness of bouquet and flavor unique to this vineyard." End quote. I was in aw and I can only say that I am truly glad I took both bottles! Remember to send your wine questions to linda at vine to wine dot net and thanks for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.